Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but me and my plot bunnies do own the plot, so nuh!
Warnings: Rated M for safety, for when ever I decide to fit in the mini lemon for my sis. Yaoi, confusion, betrayal, brain washing etc… Oh, and this is sort of a filler chapter...
A/N: Sorry for the lateness guys, and I'm sorry that this chappy will be a bit short, but I still can't quite figure out what I'ma have to do to fix the plot, and things are hectic around here as always... anyways, I hope you enjoy what little bit I can type up for this chapter. And Gaara will branch off to a new relationship sometime down the road… you can ask who, but I'm not telling yet! –hides answer up sleeves- Heh, the love triangle thingy is getting to be a lil odd for me here, because it doesn't seem to work with how I want the story to end.. eventually... so... yeah… enjoy!
The four dreaded words all men must hear….. We need to talk… is near is here…
After the battle, things around Konoha settled into a guarded kind of normalcy. The people were happy, sure, but they were also on their guard, watching for anything that spelled trouble for them. Within days, Naruto managed to dispel the fear, only mentioning that the villagers should trust their shinobi to protect them, and reminded them that such was the fate of the shinobi and their villages. Their way of life was dangerous and in turn, trouble would always lurk in the darkness, waiting for the perfect time to strike out at them. And thus was the life of a shinobi, to train as if there would be a war tomorrow, to savor all that life brought them each day, and to be prepared for the day they may fall to a shinobi stronger than them. Oddly comforted by his 'death is a way of life' speech, the villagers relaxed and everything settled into its normal rhythm in Konoha….. But for a few glitches here and there, that is…
Hinata and Kiba, who were one of the hot couples in the village and were engaged to be married, had a huge falling out that ended up with Hinata giving him his ring back and both of them agreeing that it was over. The beautiful Kunoichi had long since ceased her constant stuttering and had allowed her hair to grow longer. She'd gotten more confident and stronger as well and had a fan club all her own. Kiba's new absence in their Hinata-chan's life was reason for her fanboys to throw a party at their headquarters… a party which Naruto saw fit to immediately put a stop to to save both of his friends from the embarrassment such a thing would cause them.
Another thing that had happened was Ino and Shikamaru's wedding. They were finally able to tie the knot and were given leave to go on their week-long honeymoon. Directly after that happened something that shocked the villagers and shinobi. It was something that Naruto and Sasuke both saw coming…. Gaara ended their romantic relationship and decided that he'd much rather be friends with the two than be stuck in the middle and second best for both men. He deserved better and Naruto agreed whole-heartedly. So, after years of being together, Naruto and Gaara said goodbye to their relationship and settled down into a much more comfortable relationship as friends, which Sasuke was secretly ecstatic about.
Arashi, with the help of Kakashi, Jiraiya, and his old home, gained more of his memories back and was on his way to becoming friends with his son. Naruto was happy to learn about the things Arashi had found out about himself and who he was before being brainwashed, and as a bonus, Arashi would train daily with the young Rokudaime, teaching him a few of his own jutsu. He was pleasantly surprised when he found that Naruto often caught on quickly when given specific instructions.
Things were changing, yet it seemed that they were changing for the better and each day was better than the last, but Naruto had a nagging suspicion that things were about to take a turn for the worst…
When the world is bright and happy, and everything runs smoothly, the hidden walls on all four sides slowly start crashing in, shattering the beautiful genjutsu that has everyone fooled so well…
A/N: Welp, that's all for now, as the warning says, this one's kind of a filler chapter until I get my head on backwards again and ideas flow more freely. And it's pathetically short for me. Either way, I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I will try to update sooner, but no promises as the plot bunnies like to bite on their own whim, and it's never when I need em to. Thank you all for reading. Oh, and I thrive on support from loyal readers.